Loma Prieta Winery
Loma Prieta Winery is a pretty unusual winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, high above Los Gatos at about 2,600 feet. It’s especially known for Pinotage, a South African grape that is quite rare in California. The winery says it produces fewer than 3,000 cases a year and is the largest Pinotage producer in North America.Pinotage is the star. The owners became fascinated with the grape and eventually grafted much of their estate vineyard over to Pinotage. Loma Prieta produces estate and vineyard-designated versions, as well as a sparkling Pinotage. They also make Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot and other wines.
The setting is arguably as much of an attraction as the wine. The mountaintop property has sweeping views toward Monterey Bay and the Pacific, and there's outdoor seating, bocce, giant chess/checkers, and a telescope.It has a casual, picnic-oriented atmosphere rather than a formal Napa-style tasting-room experience. The label was commissioned from World-Renowned New Orleans artist Martin LaBorde.
The label depicts:
- Loma Prieta Mountain in the background — representing the view from the winery.
- The yellow/red/orange band beneath the mountain represents the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
- Bodo appears above the mountain with his favorite wine glass in hand. Bodo is a recurring character in LaBorde's artwork.
- The overall design was intentionally created specifically for Loma Prieta Winery.
